Oh Angel Tree, Oh Angel Tree

 

That's Papaw...he came to John Connor's choir performance....which has nothing to do with the following story! 

John Connor had a project at school. It was voluntary. I think about 60% of his class participated. They divided the kids into groups of 4 or 5 and gave them each an Angel from the Angel Tree. They all had to do chores at home for the money to buy for the Angel.

He asked every day what he could do. He helped his Dad in the yard one day, did the dishes, swept (kinda), cleaned the fishbowl (he usually does this without having to be paid), he helped me decorate the Christmas tree (you would think that wouldn't be a chore....believe me, it is!)

The parents were all invited to the class today for a Holiday Tea. Each group did a power point on what chores they did at home, what they bought their angel and why they enjoyed the project. They even came up with the words to a song they sang....usually to a Christmas tune.

John Connor's group was hilarious! At first, no one really wanted to talk and by the end, they were all talking over each other!! Then came the song......John Connor said that he wasn't going to sing.....then ended up being the only one to sing......the whole time! He was so off key and grinning the whole time! I was such a proud mama and he was loving every minute of it!! Such an entertainer!

December Daily

I think it's hilarious that I start this...or start thinking about doing a December Daily book every, single year! Most of you probably know what it is....well, if you are a scrapbooker, you do! Ali Edwards, scrapbooker extraordinaire started this trend many years ago. I think there are thousands of people that do it....and do it right! I found a few on Pinterest that I adore! check these out.....

this one was on 2 Peas originally.....like in '08, but I love how crisp it looks!

 

This one looks delicious!

 

Oh, I do love all this different sized goodness...and look at all the fun colors!!

 

After reading through her blog, I found myself lost in this girls world....Oh, I do love Liz Kartchner. She's so freaking adorable....really, like the cutest thing ever and she's so sweet on top of that! 

this is her goodness she calls a December Daily....

 

and for the cherry on top...her husband is HILARIOUS.PERIOD!

I could go on and on with different ones that I love and that inspire me completely...but, you probably have a Pinterest account and have them all pinned already!

Here is the creator of idea December Daily, herself!

Ali Edwards

They sold a kit over at Studio Calico...I l.o.v.e those numbers!

This year, I decided to make it super simple. All the pages would essentially be the same and I would just have to insert photos and stories each day. Well, I can say that I made all 25 pages. I can also say that I sat down last weekend to print a few photos, only to find that I didn't have any ink in the handy- dandy mini-printer. I just ordered ink online and I'm waiting on it to get here. It's amazing to me how I do not have a photograph from each day so far! It seems so easy to do and yet, I can't get it done. I still have high hopes for this really adorable book. I hope that I get it all finished and pull it out next year in time to decide to do it again and maybe have the incentive to do it right! You wanna see it??? Maybe tomorrow (wink)!!

It's the holidays! Time to celebrate!

How does it get so busy? Every year I say I'm going to be ahead of the game, right? It's just too hard. With all these things to distract me......Pinterest, Facebook, blogs, oh and that job I picked up! Geez. The first month I was a decorator, which was fabulous! I was in and out and working from home. Now, I'm officially full-time and I'm.worn.out!! If you aren't a fan of the Telegraph Facebook page, you should be. We are the coolest boutique ad agency in town! yeah! It's a super fun job...making commercials, designing logos, websites, getting creative with facebook pages..it's all the bomb.com.

I really need a week off BEFORE Christmas, though! Shopping done - nope. Decorating finished - nope. Kids parties at school planned - nope. Cookies and sweets baked - nope. Special touches (my favorite part) - nope. Going to Holiday parties like Alabama Chanin's Holiday Market tonight -  nope. I'm so sad. I wanted to go and I can't fit it in....I just have all that other stuff to do.....I could kinda get all that done in the four hours it takes to get to Florence and back! oh well....I get to go in May for a workshop. I just want to sit around and stitch, ya know?

I did get to go to a fun Cookie Swap last Sunday at the adorable Beth of Unskinny Boppys house. It was so much fun. Do you know she invited me and we have never met in real life! How cool is that? I think she has the magic touch on decorating skills and wanted to be her friend...so, we have been cyber friends for a while now! I also got to meet Lori from Click Workshops. Oh, there goes my Christmas list...it's all things photography now. I want a new D700, a Nikon 1, a new lense (any one will do) and a year's full of photography workshops with Click. Santa? Do you hear me? To make matters worse, I come in to work on Monday and Kevin and Isaiah decide they are going out to buy a camera! Green, I tell ya, I was green. They got the D5100 to shoot video and stills. For the love......I want to steal it and play with it all day! Oh, make that one more thing on the Christmas-I-haven't-gotten-to-it-yet-list. Pictures of the kids for Christmas cards - nope!

I guess that's why I decided to sit down and write out a blogpost. Make myself a list...maybe I will be held accountable....or the time will get here and it will have to get done, or else!

I do have some decorations up...here's my mantel - done!

Hope your Holidays are all in order and you are sitting at home baking cookies with your kids, listening to Christmas music by the fire...which, is not going to happen here...it's 70 degrees out! You've sent out your cards and are finished with all the crafts....probably working on next year's gift list! Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!